Song School Latin questions (and maybe spanish)

[mommyoffive]

I am thinking of getting SSL this year and maybe SSS

 

 

The reviews I am looking at on here are older so maybe some new thoughts will come in.

 

 

Should I get the teachers manual? 

 

Does each child need a workbook?

 

Should I get the DVDS or not?

 

What age group is this best for? 

[alisha]

We went with just the student book and CD which worked great. My boys were not writing well enough to use the book as a workbook when we used it, so I used the book more as a teacher guide and we did all the exercises orally. And I really couldn't see having to learn to spell and write in latin at that age, so we skipped that part (we hadn't even gotten to spelling in English yet). 

 

So, I'd say it's pretty flexible on how you want to use it to make it work for you.

 

I will say we liked it, and are using SSL2 this year. Though I need to figure out how to add a little more review into it.

Edited July 9, 2017 by alibild

[ScoutTN]

We just did the student book and the CD and it has been fun and worth doing. 

I waited til mine were old enough to do the workbook, though we didn't do every exercise. The songs really are the key. pop that Cd in your car and you are good to go. The book lessons give just enough explanation.  

 

Mine did SSL1 in 3rd and 2 in 4th, alter than some people do, but it worked fine for us. 

 

[SoCal_Bear]

SSL1 works fine 1-3...I wouldn't use SSL2 with a 2nd grader who can't read because I don't like doing that much work orally. That student book is a step up from SSL1 and is 3x as thick. So I think 2nd/3rd, maybe 4th though for a good 4th grader you can probably go with LFC A instead though that is a big step up from SSL2. I actually liked having the DVDs. TM can be useful if you like having an answer key. Though if you get it as a package, the cost is probably nearly same as the student book + DVD. 

Whether or not you want each child to get a workbook depends on whether or not your kid likes to write in their own book. They do not sell book without the CD so you will end up with more than one CD if you get multiple books which is okay if you want to leave a copy in the car and one in the house.

Headventureland is my son's favorite add-on. They only have that for SSL1. He really loved practicing and playing the games. There are lots of people with quizlet sets for the series. The one limitation with quizlet is that Latin is not one of the supported language for audio unlike my sets for Chinese and French. You are welcome to copy my sets for SSL1 and SSL2. I like using the quizlet app when we are waiting in line or have a few minutes somewhere for a quick practice. You can find me as calbear94. We are moving onto LFC A this year, and will be signing up for Headventureland again.

Edited July 9, 2017 by calbear

[Bluegoat]

Yes, I also didn't use the DVD, and found we didn't do as much writing.  I used it with a group of ten kids, and even for the older ones - grade 3 maybe? - it just didn't seem that helpful.

 

The real thing was learning the songs.  My friend also made up a lot of Latin games based on the vocab whiich made a huge difference.

 

I will say though, that it is probably too low-level after about grade 3, but before that it really is more for fun than anything else.

[mommyoffive]

SSL1 works fine 1-3...I wouldn't use SSL2 with a 2nd grader who can't read because I don't like doing that much work orally. That student book is a step up from SSL1 and is 3x as thick. So I think 2nd/3rd, maybe 4th though for a good 4th grader you can probably go with LFC A instead though that is a big step up from SSL2. I actually liked having the DVDs. TM can be useful if you like having an answer key. Though if you get it as a package, the cost is probably nearly same as the student book + DVD. 

 

Whether or not you want each child to get a workbook depends on whether or not your kid likes to write in their own book. They do not sell book without the CD so you will end up with more than one CD if you get multiple books which is okay if you want to leave a copy in the car and one in the house.

 

Headventureland is my son's favorite add-on. They only have that for SSL1. He really loved practicing and playing the games. There are lots of people with quizlet sets for the series. The one limitation with quizlet is that Latin is not one of the supported language for audio unlike my sets for Chinese and French. You are welcome to copy my sets for SSL1 and SSL2. I like using the quizlet app when we are waiting in line or have a few minutes somewhere for a quick practice. You can find me as calbear94. We are moving onto LFC A this year, and will be signing up for Headventureland again.

 

What is LFC A?

[SoCal_Bear]

Latin for Children A. It's CAP's next program for Latin. It's aimed at 4th to 6th grade. Wilson Hill Academy uses this program. CAP has Thinker's Cap Academy (self-paced and online) and Schole Academy (live, online classes). Or you can use the program on your own with their DVDs. It's been revised this year. 

[fralala]

Chiming in to agree that, for us, the most valuable part of this program was the songs and lyrics (contained in the student workbook-- I didn't use the teacher's manual). If you're just using those, it is a really appealing program even for preschoolers (who of course don't need to learn Latin but will pick up on it if the rest of the family is). I'd say workbooks are for the designated age range the publisher gives, grade 1-2 or around age 7 or 8. But they aren't necessary for learning the vocabulary and my child who didn't fill out the workbooks seems to have benefited from the gentle introduction nonetheless now that she has moved on from the program.

[knitgrl]

The teacher manuals add very little. You will do just fine without them.

[give_me_a_latte]

I'll be the odd one here and say I love the Teacher's manual. It has extra worksheets for every chapter, and several worksheets for each review chapter. Those have really helped around here with retention and review. 

 

My kids love the DVD, more so than any other component of the program. 

 

I also use it later than most....we're in SSL 2, and my kids are going into 3rd and 5th.